What it all means: In three months prior to ringing in 2014, the Blue Jackets had tallied a 17-19-4 record and their 38 points placed them seven points back of the No. 2 wild card spot, at the time held by Toronto. One memorable 26-13-4 stretch later, they qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in five years.

Now that the cat is out of the bag and Columbus believes it belongs in the playoffs, a better start will do wonders for a club when the playoff race becomes tighter than morning rush hour. What lies ahead for the Blue Jackets in the first month? An early date with the Stanley Cup champs, four games against teams that tallied at least 91 points, and road games in hostile environments like Anaheim and San Jose.

Can they get out to a better start and play from the drivers' seat in October? It's certainly possible. Sixteen of the Jackets’ 38 regulation or overtime wins (ROW) came on the road in 2013-14, making road points a must if they're to stay in the race when November begins.

Fortunately, the October slate calls for only two back-to-back sets - but the Blue Jackets are among the NHL's leaders in back-to-back games this season, with 19 on the schedule.